Hammersmith Nude Murders (Stripper)

[Jeff Leahy]

Brian McConnell

Elizabeth Figg, also known as Ann Philips

Found at Dukes Meadow nr Chiswick Bridge on bank of Thames beneath a willow tree. Some accounts lying some, propped up particially clothed. Age 21.

“Dr Teare’s report was complete. Whoever she was, the girl under the willow had recently had toothache, for one tooth in an otherwise healthy mouth had recently been removed, the surrounding gums not yet hardened. Her last meal included alcohol and the stomach contents by there purity might have been champagne. Then she had had sex, then been manually strangled, fingers on the side of the neck, thumbs on wind pipe until she was dead, and not later than 2 am.”

Seabrook JofJ. P5

“She measured 5’-5’’ half and weight 8 half stone. Her feet were dirty and there were small scattered abrasions on her legs. A small patch of lipstick on her upper lip was the only indication she used cosmetics. Her stomach contained approximately 4 ounces of food in which peas and fatty material were distinguishable. She also had a active ulcer 1” in diameter but this did not affect general health.

A series of abrasions covered an area 1 half wide and 1 quarter long on the front of the throat and appeared to have been caused by the victim’s fingernails as she struggled with her attacker. But that’s as straightforward as it gets; there were other abrasions on her body and we can only speculate-as the pathologists did not about what might have caused them.

There was a single abrasion, three quarter long by a max of one eighth wide on the inner aspect of the right collarbone which may have been caused by a ring: an ill-fitting ring, perhaps, such as might belong to a newly wed man. In the lower part of this area there were two abrasions, each quarter of an inch long, running vertically and three eighth apart, just to the right of the midline, and to the left of the midline were two less obvious abrasions quarter inch long and half inch apart, running obliquely, immediately above this area was an area of bluish of the skin. (Tear believed this was caused by pressure) the upper part of this area contained an abrasion half inch long, running horizontally half inch to the left of the midline, and an abrasion quarter inch long, running horizontally immediately to the right of the midline. Might these three pair of abrasions have been caused by a single pair of cufflinks?

Who was she ? Nobody new”/////later: Mrs King identified the body as that of her daughter Elizabeth. She was born in Bebington Cheshire on 24th March1938.

Pauline Mills new her as a street girl. She worked Bayswater road and Holland Park. Under the name Ann Philips.”

Interestingly there is NO mention of a missing tooth in Seabrook’s book, which makes me wonder if this was an invention by McConnell?

James Morton does not list Elizabeth Figg as a victim in the series but starts with tailford but includes another victim Susan Smith (Goldie) March 1965.
(Susan Smith fitted DuRoses ten week cycle theory, and AP’s ‘often spoke to colored men’ theory).

Well there it is for today Elizabeth Figg. Was she a stripper victim?

It would be useful if anyone has any additional factual information to add. I’d like to start piecing some stuff together and asking some questions.

I have in mind to commit some stuff to camera/edit this year.

Pirate Jack

[Bob Hinton]

Not necessarily

I'm aware that Neil Melkin tried to get access and was refused which is very odd. And my guess because the police are still protecting someone.


Yours Jeff

Neil Milkins was probably refused access because he has no academic standing. Police are very touchy about letting files on cases where there are still living participants get into the hands of the public. This does change with various forces. When I was researching the Ronald Harries murders (1953) I was given complete access to all the files and photographs.

However when I asked South Wales police for access to the George Shotton files (1919) I was refused, although they are reviewing my request as I write.

I know the Met pass a lot of their old files to the National Archives. I found some Met files there from the early 60's. It wouldn't hurt to ask.

[Jeff Leahy]

Yes he was found dead in his flat this summer, I think from heart failour. He was not an old man, late fourties?

There was some discussion earlier in the thread with some other links.

There is also some bizarre stuff in the book at the end where he visits a medium? Its all rather bizarre and post modern.

That said Seabrook is important because he is the only author who had access to police files. From what I gather this was a mistake by the police. Seabrooke was doing research at Hendon on another theme and was given access by accident.

I'm aware that Neil Melkin tried to get access and was refused which is very odd. And my guess because the police are still protecting someone.

But I will try and have a look at Figg today and post something. The key books for anyone interested are 'Found Dead and Naked' Brian McConnell, an ex tabloid journalist, and a chapter by James Morton in a book called 'Fighters'.

There's actually very little done on the case.

Yours Jeff

[Limehouse]

He did pretty much spell it out. It was all over the internet that he believed Cushway committed the murders.

A most unsatisfactory conclusion.

Personally I dont like Seabrookes rather poorly discuised disdain for the victims. I had rather a long conversation with him about Hannah and we fell out pretty quickly, even if some of what he said were true, who are we to judge?

Oh well it's in the past and it is tragic he died so young....

A decent Factual book on the subject is long over due.

Trust you are well, and Happy New Year

Pirate

Morning Pirate, and a Happy New Year to you too.

In the book, I don't really pick up any disdain for the victims - but there is, to me, a kind of sad acceptance of their lifestyles - which were pretty seedy.

However, if you have met and spoken with him then you know what his real feelings were. In understand Seabrook was a policeman and they are not well known for their sympathy towards street girls.

I didn't realise he had died.

Hope to go on discussing the case as I get through the book. I'm up to Frances Brown at the moment.

regards

Limehouse

[Jeff Leahy]

Yeah I think there were missing teeth in most of the victims and this was explained by force during the blow job act..

Hi Stan, I will PM you tomoorow.

Yours Jeff

[sdreid]

PS I could do with your opinions on camera Stan?. With a talking head interview, ..is there any chance you could help me out over in the states? or that someone could film your observations?

I'm not sure how that would work or if I'd have anything worthy to add but I'll let you know if I think of something. I do remember the ongoing case when it was scantly being covered here in the States but don't really have a favorite suspect.

[Slipper86]

OK that makes sense, I've also read that coroners confirmed O'Hara died on her knees and that Barthelemy to O'Hara were all missing teeth.

Regarding Rees' Welsh heritage, I'd be interested in where the other victims hailed from, is there a connection? Could it have played a part in victim selection?

Also what's this about 'Morton's Ninth'?

[Jeff Leahy]

The victims were suphocated (excuse my spelling I'm on a strange computer)

by having an object pushed down their throat. This was confirmed by scratch marks made to the throat by the victims.

The theory that the victims were killed during 'falacio' was put forward by the detective in charge of the case.

I will see what I can dig up tomorrow and provide names. But it should be listed somewhere on this thread.

Pirate

PS the reason Rees was included was because there was damage to a bone in the throat, similar to the others. But the body was badly decomposed and the coroners could not be certain....I'm not certain about Ree's, but interestingly she came from Wales...and Neil Melkin asks some interesting questions about her killer.

[Slipper86]

Hi guys,

From what I understand a signature crime is committed from psychological/symbolical need on the killers part, rather than a Zoro style flair. This is a good link detailing MO vs Signature - http://www.deviantcrimes.com/mosig.htm. However, as I've already said, I have no real knowledge on this subject. A good example of a signature crime for me would be the Yorkshire Shoe Rapist.

The reason I started looking into it is that in my opinion, Figg and Rees don't fit the pattern, which I think most people agree with.

As for the blowjob choking...really?? Could that work?

[Jeff Leahy]

Well I can give you guys an outline of the eight killings. I will also look for Mortons nineth...which was a body found in the thames at a later date.

Give me a little time and I'll outline what I can.

Neal Melkin is probably more on top of this than I so I will bow to his more up to date information, if he should choose to contribute.

I have a fair bit of work on at present, so bear with me...I have more pressing dead lines...

But I must focus some time to the case Jan - feb.

Pirate

PS I could do with your opinions on camera Stan?. With a talking head interview, ..is there any chance you could help me out over in the states? or that someone could film your observations?

[sdreid]

Thanks Jeff and a Happy New Year to you.

When I think of a signature killer (perhaps others have a different view) it is a murderer who leaves some sign so that there will be no question that he committed the slaying. An example would be the Green River Killer who left a triangular rock inside the vaginas of his victims or at least the early ones. I don't see any other reason to do this except to stake a claim on the kill.

I'd be interest in discussing about anything regarding this case. It and 3 or 4 others are right up there with JtR for me.

[Jeff Leahy]

Hi Stan

By that I meant that you know something about serial killers. You are certainly better conversed than I and I always follow your posts on JtRforums.

Expert, was a poor choice of words. This is not the JtR case. And those with knowledge are few and far between, so please except my recommendation as a complement. There are few, at least, that no more than you on the subject around these boards.

I'm not entirely sure what you guys mean by a signature killer.

I can however list the individual murders on the Hammersmith nude killings and what transpired.

If its something you guys wish to discuss I'm happy to contribute.

And incidently a Happy New Year to you

Pirate

[sdreid]

Not my area of expertise but Stan is pretty well researched on the subject. So pick his brains if he turns up.

I don't tout myself as any sort of expert so you are obviously speaking of some other Stan.

Anyway, as I see it, there is certainly a pattern to the slayings but I would agree that he is not a signature killer, if by that you mean a murderer who intentionally leaves something in order to show police that this was one of his killings.

[Jeff Leahy]

He did pretty much spell it out. It was all over the internet that he believed Cushway committed the murders.

A most unsatisfactory conclusion.

Personally I dont like Seabrookes rather poorly discuised disdain for the victims. I had rather a long conversation with him about Hannah and we fell out pretty quickly, even if some of what he said were true, who are we to judge?

Oh well it's in the past and it is tragic he died so young....

A decent Factual book on the subject is long over due.

Trust you are well, and Happy New Year

Pirate

[Limehouse]

I am currently reading Jack of Jumps by David Seabrook and I am finding it an absorbing read. Of course, the events he relates are not pleasant, but his research is very thorough and I like his writing style - it's almost Raymond Chandlerish in parts - but with more class.

Like Pirate, I am more interested in the victims' lives than their deaths and I am more interested in the social landscape related to the crimes and the kind of lives lived by the victims than who the actual murderer was.

It is quite a long, detailed book and I only have about half an hour a day to spare in reading it so it will be some time before I get to Seabrook's theory but I believe it leads to a suspect living in Chingford, north east London, where I grew up and I went to school with a boy who had the same name as the suspect - although it seems Seabrook never named the suspect in the book.